Presidency Refutes Kwankwaso’s Claim, Says North Not Neglected Under Tinubu

Presidency Refutes Kwankwaso’s Claim, Says North Not Neglected Under Tinubu

The Presidency has rejected claims made by Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, the 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), that President Bola Tinubu’s administration has sidelined the North.

In response, the Presidency highlighted that several key projects and development initiatives are currently ongoing in the region.

Kwankwaso, speaking during a stakeholders’ dialogue on the 2025 constitutional amendment held in Kano on Thursday, alleged that national resources are being disproportionately allocated to the South, exacerbating poverty and insecurity in the North.

He also criticised the poor state of federal roads in northern states, recounting a recent experience where, due to a cancelled flight, he was forced to travel by road from Abuja to Kano via Kaduna—a journey he described as “hellish” due to the terrible road conditions.

Reacting via a post on his X handle on Friday, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, challenged Kwankwaso’s assertions.

“The claim that Northern Nigeria has been left behind is incorrect. The Tinubu administration has initiated and continued several landmark projects in the North, covering roads, agriculture, healthcare, and energy,” Dare said.

He outlined major infrastructure, health, energy, and agricultural projects being implemented across Northern states to buttress the government’s commitment.

According to Presidential aide Dare, several major projects are currently underway in the North, including the Abuja–Kaduna–Kano Expressway, the Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway, and the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano Gas Pipeline, among others.

He also cited a $158.15 million Agricultural Value Chain programme being implemented across nine northern states, as well as the Kolmani Integrated Development Project in Bauchi and Gombe. Additionally, he highlighted the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) initiative, which aims to restore one million hectares of degraded land in the region.

Dare noted that several healthcare institutions—such as the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital in Zaria, University of Jos Teaching Hospital, and the Federal Medical Centre in Nguru—are currently benefiting from expansion and new investments. He also mentioned the revitalisation of nearly 1,000 primary healthcare centres across the North.

Key road projects include the Kano–Kongolam Road, Kaduna–Jos Road, the Kano–Maiduguri Dual Carriageway, and rehabilitation works on critical transport corridors in Borno and Adamawa states.

On energy, Dare pointed to the 614 km Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano Gas Pipeline, the Gwagwalada Power Plant, and upcoming solar energy projects in Kaduna. Rail infrastructure projects include the Kaduna–Kano Rail Line, the Kano–Maradi Rail Line, and the ongoing rehabilitation of the Abuja Metro.

He concluded, “Northern Nigeria has not been neglected. From transportation and energy to agriculture, health, and infrastructure, this administration is actively investing in the region.”